--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Drawing in a lung-packing breath, I press…" description: "\"“Drawing in a lung-packing breath, I press the start button. And then I feel it. It saturates the water around me, thrumming without rhythm. The pulse...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/anna-banks-1453_breath_drawing-in-a-lung-packing-breath-i-press_1472771.png" --- # Drawing in a lung-packing breath, I press the start… ![“Drawing in a lung-packing breath, I press the start button. And then I feel it. It saturates the water around me, thrumming without rhythm. The pulse. Someone is close. Someone I don't recognize. Slowly, I tiptoe backward, careful not to splash or slosh. After a few seconds, tiptoeing doesn't make…” quote by Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/anna-banks-1453_breath_drawing-in-a-lung-packing-breath-i-press_1472771.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/anna-banks-1453_breath_drawing-in-a-lung-packing-breath-i-press_1472771.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d99/anna-banks-1453_breath_drawing-in-a-lung-packing-breath-i-press_1472771.png) > ““Drawing in a lung-packing breath, I press the start button. And then I feel it. It saturates the water around me, thrumming without rhythm. The pulse. Someone is close. Someone I don't recognize. Slowly, I tiptoe backward, careful not to splash or slosh. After a few seconds, tiptoeing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. If I can sense them, they can sense me. The pulse is getting stronger. They're heading straight toward me. Fast. Leaving caution, etiquette, and Dad's stopwatch behind, I scramble like a lunatic to shallower water. Suddenly, Galen's order to stay on dry land doesn't seem so unreasonable. What was I thinking? The little I know about Syrena is what we crammed into the last twenty-four hours at his house. They have a social structure like humans. Government, laws, family, friendship. Do they have outcasts, too? The same way humans have rapists and serial killers? If so, I've just done the human equivalent of wandering into a dark parking lot alone. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Gasping into a wave lets me know my lungs aren't prepped for water just yet. Sputtering and coughing slows me down a little, but the shore is close, and I've got my eye on a stick thicker than my arm just beyond the wet sand. That it will break like a twig over the head of any Syrena is not important.”” [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator, overwhelmed by fear and curiosity, enters dangerous water, confronting an unknown alien society, realizing the peril of ignorance and impulsive actions. **In simple terms:** A person jumps into risky water, meets unknown beings, and regrets reckless behavior. Key Takeaway Think before acting in unfamiliar situations. Themes fear curiosity recklessness survival alien encounter Mood anxious introspective tense Type narrative reflective cautionary When to use this quote - exploring alien habitats - first contact scenarios - survival training - ethical decision making Key Concepts human-alien interaction social structures ethical dilemmas impulse control Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if you encountered an unknown intelligent species? - How can preparation reduce fear in unknown environments? A Different Perspective The narrator’s panic may cloud judgment, leading to dangerous choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) [Dry land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dry-land/) [Gasping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gasping/) [Gasping Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gasping-wave-5348861/) [Getting stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-stronger/) [Packing Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/packing-breath-5348862/) [Serial killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serial-killers/) [Social structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-structure/) [Stupid Gasping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-gasping-5348863/) ## Related quotes > [“And then I feel it. It saturates the water around me, thrumming withoug rhythm. The pulse. Someone is close. Someone I don't reconize. 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His woman. His heart. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-mathewson/as-he-was-gasping-for-air-he-realized-something-he-was-in-deep-shit/) [R.L. Mathewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-mathewson/) > [“I'll put my hand in no man's hand,' said Mr. Micawber, gasping, puffing, and sobbing, to that degree that he was like a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-ll-put-my-hand-in-no-man-s-hand-said-mr-micawber-gasping-puffing/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“He was trying not to grin, but it was exceedingly difficult with Lady Penwood gasping like a fish on land.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/he-was-trying-not-to-grin-but-it-was-exceedingly-difficult-with-lady/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [“We're both gasping for breath between our tears. It's intense. It's heartbreaking. It's devastating. It's ugly. It's over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/we-re-both-gasping-for-breath-between-our-tears-it-s-intense-it-s/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“When I’m with you, it’s like I’ve been seeing black-and-white and you’re the only spot of color; like I’m drowning and falling and gasping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-pawl/when-i-m-with-you-it-s-like-i-ve-been-seeing-black-and-white-and-you/) [Jacqueline Pawl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-pawl/) > [“That doesn’'t happeneverytime you kiss someone, does it? ”" Maddox said to Chloe, gasping through the pain of his double injuries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/that-doesn-t-happeneverytime-you-kiss-someone-does-it-maddox-said-to/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) ## More by Anna Banks > [“I won't meet his glare. "I guess I didn't care." Telling him I meant to murder his sister probably wouldn't go over very well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/i-won-t-meet-his-glare-i-guess-i-didn-t-care-telling-him-i-meant-to/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“He'd live on land and eat cheesecake for the rest of his life before that happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/he-d-live-on-land-and-eat-cheesecake-for-the-rest-of-his-life-before/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“The two-man crew of the patrol boat does not speak English. Rachel exploits this as best she can, while still dumping life jackets in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/the-two-man-crew-of-the-patrol-boat-does-not-speak-english-rachel/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“When it passes us, the driver tips his cap our way, eying us as if he thinks we're up to no good-the kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/when-it-passes-us-the-driver-tips-his-cap-our-way-eying-us-as-if-he/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“Taking both of my hands, he pulls me into the tide. Salt water deepens the lavender satin of my gown to almost black. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/taking-both-of-my-hands-he-pulls-me-into-the-tide-salt-water-deepens/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“But I'm pretty sure Mom won't consent to a field trip across the country with my hot boyfriend. Especially not back to Florida." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/but-i-m-pretty-sure-mom-won-t-consent-to-a-field-trip-across-the/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“Nice shack," I tell him. "Trade you." "Any day." "Really? You like it?" He seems genuinely pleased. "What's not to like?" He stands back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/nice-shack-i-tell-him-trade-you-any-day-really-you-like-it-he-seems/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“And then what?” she says, pulling her hand from Grom’s grasp. “Then Grom will mate with Mom and live happily ever after twenty thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/and-then-what-she-says-pulling-her-hand-from-grom-s-grasp-then-grom/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“She needs to think you're still a couple. And you'll need to be convincing about it, too. Lots of kissing and stuff in case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/she-needs-to-think-you-re-still-a-couple-and-you-ll-need-to-be/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“As soon as she releases me, Galen grabs my hand and I don’t even have time to gasp before he snatches me to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/as-soon-as-she-releases-me-galen-grabs-my-hand-and-i-don-t-even-have/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“After all, her motto is "Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/after-all-her-motto-is-better-to-ask-for-forgiveness-than-permission/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“I’ve never skydived, bungee-jumped, or parasailed. As I remove the headset, I try to calculate the fall and can’t. Maybe my brain is protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/i-ve-never-skydived-bungee-jumped-or-parasailed-as-i-remove-the/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“Mark swings his own door open and meets us by the tailgate. "Why don't we ask Emma who she's coming with? I mean, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/mark-swings-his-own-door-open-and-meets-us-by-the-tailgate-why-don-t/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“And I’m not sure how much time has passed since Galen and his best friend, Toraf, left my house to retrieve Grom. Grom, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/and-i-m-not-sure-how-much-time-has-passed-since-galen-and-his-best/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) > [“Uh, we didn't get your name. Did you get his name, Emma?" she asks, as if on cue. "I tried, Chloe. But he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-banks/uh-we-didn-t-get-your-name-did-you-get-his-name-emma-she-asks-as-if/) [Anna Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) [Explore all 237 Anna Banks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-banks/) ## More Breath quotes > [“The days may last forever, but the years pass by in a blink; the secret to survival is actually remembering to take a deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-smokler/the-days-may-last-forever-but-the-years-pass-by-in-a-blink-the-secret/) [Jill Smokler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-smokler/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [Take a deep breath. It,s just a bad day not a bad life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-deep-breath-it-s-just-a-bad-day-not-a-bad-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I stopped loving you today, But OMG..., Seeing your Body takes my breath away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/i-stopped-loving-you-today-but-omg-seeing-your-body-takes-my-breath/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [So we must do our very best Whatever life may bring And look beyond the winter chill To smell the breath of spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-we-must-do-our-very-best-whatever-life-may-bring-and-look-beyond/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poetry should be vital--either stirring our blood by its divine movements or snatching our breath by its divine perfection. To do both is supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-birrell/poetry-should-be-vital-either-stirring-our-blood-by-its-divine/) [Augustine Birrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-birrell/) > [“The first step in awareness is to be watchful of your body. Slowly,slowly one becomes alert about each gesture,each movement. And as you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-first-step-in-awareness-is-to-be-watchful-of-your-body-slowly/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [Tic Tacs are the maracas of breath mints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/tic-tacs-are-the-maracas-of-breath-mints/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/to-control-your-life-control-your-mind-to-control-your-mind-control/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“He’s sitting so close, I can feel his breath on my cheek. My stomach flip-flops again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-s-sitting-so-close-i-can-feel-his-breath-on-my-cheek-my-stomach/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My heart is your heart," she whispers, and wow that takes my breath away, this line from my childhood that she always used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/my-heart-is-your-heart-she-whispers-and-wow-that-takes-my-breath-away/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“Being able to be myself was like being able to exhale for the first time after holding my breath for years. It’s only when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/404-ink/being-able-to-be-myself-was-like-being-able-to-exhale-for-the-first/) [404 Ink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/404-ink/) [Browse all 1,839 Breath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Drawing in a lung-packing breath, I press the start button. And then I feel it. It saturates the water around me, thrumming without rhythm. The pulse. Someone is close. Someone I don't recognize. Slowly, I tiptoe backward, careful not to splash or slosh. After a few seconds, tiptoeing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. If I can sense them, they can sense me. The pulse is getting stronger. They're heading straight toward me. Fast. Leaving caution, etiquette, and Dad's stopwatch behind, I scramble like a lunatic to shallower water. Suddenly, Galen's order to stay on dry land doesn't seem so unreasonable. What was I thinking? The little I know about Syrena is what we crammed into the last twenty-four hours at his house. They have a social structure like humans. Government, laws, family, friendship. Do they have outcasts, too? The same way humans have rapists and serial killers? If so, I've just done the human equivalent of wandering into a dark parking lot alone. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Gasping into a wave lets me know my lungs aren't prepped for water just yet. Sputtering and coughing slows me down a little, but the shore is close, and I've got my eye on a stick thicker than my arm just beyond the wet sand. 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